Pre-loaded hinge for vehicle fenders or the like



Nov. 16, 1965 w. M. MAY 3,217,354

PRE-LOADED HINGE FOR VEHICLE FENDERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 29, 1965 INVENTOR WALTER M.MAY

H IS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,217,354 PRE-LQADED HINGE FOR VEHICLE FENDERS OR THE LIKE Walter M. May, Allentown, Pa., assignor to Mack Truck, Inc., Plainfield, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,298 1 Claim (Cl. 16-128) This invention relates to improvements in piano type hinges and more particularly to an improved form of piano type hinge for hingedly supporting articles or elements of substantial weight, such as for example, swingable automobile fenders and the like.

The conventional piano type hinge has a pair of leaves each provided with a plurality of eyes which are pivotally joined by an elongated hinge pin or shaft. When such conventional hinges are subjected to heavy loads such as the weight of a vehicle fender, vibrations, and other forces which are commonly encountered, the hinge pin and the eyes in which the hinge pin is seated wear nonuniformly. Looseness, rattling and substantially shortened hinge life are the natural consequences of unevenly worn eyes and hinge pins. Thus there exists a general need for a piano type hinge which can support unbalanced and vibratory loads without substantial wear.

In accordance with the present invention a piano type hinge is provided having hingedly connected leaves adapted to hingedly mount an element on a support and to releasably connect and lock the element against movement relative to the support and apply the major portion of the weight of the element directly to the support when the element is in a predetermined relation to the support.

More particularly, a piano type hinge in accordance with the present invention has on one of its leaves a laterally extending portion or flange which can be swung into a plane intersecting the plane of the first leaf and into overlying relation to a portion of the support to which the other leaf is attached. A plurality of releasably fastening elements are mounted on the support and are engageable in slots in the flange of the second leaf and can be tightened to support a portion of the load borne by the second leaf directly on the support. By relieving the eyes and hinge pin of a large amount of the load of the hinged element and immobilizing the hinge leaves, wear and distortion of the hinges and loosening and rattling of the leaves and hingedly supported elements are minimized.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a hinge embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the hinge shown in FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of the hinge shown in FIG- URE 1, taken along the line 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The piano type hinge according to the present invention has a first leaf 11 attached by conventional means, such as screws, bolts, welding or the like, to the frame of a vehicle 12, conveniently shown here as the frame extending around an automotive radiator. A second leaf 14 is attached to a portion of a vehicle, as for example, a fender 15. Both the first and the second leaves 11 and 14, have intersecting edges in which interfitting sets of eyes 16 and 17 are formed. A hinge pin 18 shown in FIGURE 1, extends through the eyes 16 and 17 in a conventional manner to permit the fender 15, and the attached second leaf 14, to hingedly pivot relative to the first leaf 11 and the vehicle frame 12.

The edge of the leaf 14 is bent laterally to form a flange 19 in spaced relation to the eyes 16 and 17, and

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generally parallel therewith. The flange 19 is directed at a suitable angle so that it extends generally parallel to a portion 20 of the frame 12 when the fender 15 is swung to its retracted or operating position. Slots 21 and 22 are formed in the outer edge of the flange 19, as shown in FIGURE 3 to receive fastening means such as the screws 25 and 26 which are threaded into tapped openings in the frame 20 or an extension of the leaf 11. As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the screws 25 and 26 serve to draw the fender 15 against the vehicle body and also to support the major portion of the weight of the fender. By the same action the hinge pin 18 and the eyes 16 and 17 are relieved largely of the load and vibration of the fender thereby reducing wear on the hinge eyes and hinge pin.

In operation, the fender may be released by loosening the screws 25 and 26. Thereafter the fender 15 can be swung away from its operating position against the frame 12 or vehicle body to the position shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1 thereby exposing the engine of the vehicle (not shown), for maintenance or repair.

The fender is returned to its operating position against the frame 12 or body and is locked in position by engaging the screws 25 and 26 in the slots 22 and 21 and tightening the screws.

Even if over a period of time, some looseness should occur in the hinge, the interlocking and supporting action of the screws 25 and 26 and the flange 19 retains the fender in a tight and relatively rattle-free relation to the vehicle.

While a representative embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described as applied to hingedly mounted vehicle fenders, it will be understood that the hinge is suitable for use in many other fields where heavy loads are to be supported for hinging movement. Moreover, various changes and modifications may be made in the hinge as pointed out above without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore all such changes and modifications are included within the intended scope of the invention as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A hinge, comprising a first leaf adapted to be connected to a support and having a plurality of eyes thereon, a second leaf having a plurality of eyes interfitting with the eyes of said first leaf, a hinge pin passing through said eyes on the leaves for connecting said leaves for hinging movement, a flange on and extending laterally from said second leaf and movable therewith toward and away from said support to selectively intersect the plane of the first leaf, at least one adjustable screw projecting from the support, and an edge portion of the flange having at least one complemental slot therein selectively engageable with said screw for releasably connecting said support and said flange when said second leaf is adjacent to said support and intersecting the plane of the first leaf.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 734,635 7/1903 Tribe 16-129 919,154 4/1909 Gen 16-135 X 2,182,546 12/1939 Raymond 16-140 2,324,209 7/1943 Helgason 16-139 X 2,410,836 11/1946 Neale 16-139 X 2,769,503 11/1956 Wagner -89 2,993,225 7/1961 MCPhaden 16-139 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,176,443 11/1958 France.

178,975 4/ 1962 Sweden.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

